I was moving chicks out of a large brooder today and found one 8 week old in the corner breathing very hard. I picked it up and it flapped to get away. It's eyes rolled back and it died. It was one of MissPrissys beautiful splash Orpington hens. She was usually pretty calm. But it was in with some Barnevelders. Not a bread i would call overly calm (at least not these). They have always tended to get all the birds going.
The brooder is quite large and I had to corner the chicks to get to them. They of course piled on top of each other in a mass of hysteria, even though I was moving very slowly and talking to them the whole time. I was a gentle as i could be. It almost looked like the poor thing had a heart attack.
It it common to loose birds during a move?????
I'm not sure I could have done anything differently.
The brooder is quite large and I had to corner the chicks to get to them. They of course piled on top of each other in a mass of hysteria, even though I was moving very slowly and talking to them the whole time. I was a gentle as i could be. It almost looked like the poor thing had a heart attack.
It it common to loose birds during a move?????
I'm not sure I could have done anything differently.
